Trip from Flower Mound, TX to Austin, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

Distance

221.2 mi

356 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$30

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min

4 AM

3h 48m ★

6 AM

4h 1m

8 AM

4h 27m

10 AM

4h 10m

12 PM

4h 7m

3 PM

4h 11m

5 PM

4h 25m

8 PM

3h 53m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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town in Denton County, Texas, United States

Flower Mound, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Austin, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Flower Mound, TX to Austin, TX is 221.2 miles and takes about 4 hours via I 35, with a fuel budget near $32 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within the Great Plains region, offering a consistent driving experience as you head south. It's a straightforward trip, primarily on major highways, making it a good option if you're looking for a direct path between these two Texas cities. Plan for a single day of travel, as the duration allows for a comfortable arrival well before evening.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

110.6 miles from Flower Mound, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 2m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
South R L Thornton Freeway	89.9 mi	1h 32m
I 35	55.8 mi	58m
Purple Heart Trail	40.3 mi	42m
North Jack Kultgen Expressway	6.6 mi	7m
SH 114 TEXpress	6.5 mi	6m
North Stemmons Freeway	5.6 mi	7m
West John W Carpenter Freeway	3.9 mi	4m
Long Prairie Road	3.1 mi	4m

Longest stretch: South R L Thornton Freeway — 89.9 mi, about 1h 32m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 84 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

5 PM

~4,276 veh/hr typical · worst 4,985

Quietest

2 AM

~739 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

5.8×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 51 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Flower Mound, TX and Austin, TX.

Start on Wanda Lane

220 ft · 12 sec · Wanda Lane

Turn left onto Lake Coves Drive

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Lake Coves Drive

Turn right onto Hide-A-Way Lane

0.5 mi · 1 min · Hide-A-Way Lane

Turn right onto Simmons Road

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Simmons Road

Turn left onto McKamy Creek Road

0.8 mi · 1 min · McKamy Creek Road

Turn right onto Flower Mound Road

0.3 mi · 32 sec · Flower Mound Road

Use the right lane.

Turn right onto FM 2499

3.1 mi · 4 min · Long Prairie Road

Use the right lane.

Continue on FM 2499

0.5 mi · 43 sec · Grapevine Mills Parkway

Continue on FM 2499

1.5 mi · 2 min · Grapevine Mills Parkway

Toward TX 121 South

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min

Toward TX 121 South, TX 114: Fort Worth, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min

Toward TX 114 East: Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Continue on International Parkway

0.4 mi · 38 sec · International Parkway

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 1 min

Toward Texas 114 East: Dallas Use the left lane.

Merge onto TX 114

3.9 mi · 4 min · West John W Carpenter Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto TX 114 TEXpress

6.5 mi · 6 min · SH 114 TEXpress

Toward TX 114 Express: SH 114 TEXpress East Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Merge onto TX 183 TEXpress

1.5 mi · 1 min · SH 183 TEXpress

Merge onto TX 183

0.8 mi · 50 sec · John W Carpenter Freeway

Merge onto I 35E

5.6 mi · 7 min · North Stemmons Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35E

0.5 mi · 44 sec · South R L Thornton Freeway

Continue on I 35E

89 mi · 1 hr 31 min · South R L Thornton Freeway

Exit 426 Toward Dallas Zoo Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35; US 77

6.6 mi · 7 min · North Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

38 mi · 39 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

56 mi · 58 min · I 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290

2.4 mi · 3 min · Purple Heart Trail

Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street Use the slight left lane.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec

Exit 234B Toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson University Use the slight right lane.

Turn straight onto North Interstate 35

0.2 mi · 27 sec · North Interstate 35

Use the straight / right lanes.

Turn right onto East 6th Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · East 6th Street

Use the right lane.

Turn left onto Congress Avenue

357 ft · 17 sec · Congress Avenue

Turn left onto East 5th Street

28 ft · 0 sec · East 5th Street

Use the left lane.

Arrive at destination

East 5th Street

Trip Plan

Given the 4-hour drive time, leaving Flower Mound in the morning is your best bet to maximize daylight and avoid any potential rush hour congestion in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, flexibility is key; you can decide when and where to take a break based on your needs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 89.9-mile stretch on South R L Thornton Freeway, and consider filling up before you leave or at a major junction. This trip is easily manageable in a single day, so no overnight accommodations are necessary.

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 110.6 miles from Flower Mound, TX, or about 2h 2m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 89.9 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 49 miles or 59m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 110.6 miles or 2h 2m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 17m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Austin, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Flower Mound, TX so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Flower Mound, TX

This is one driving day of about 221.2 miles and 4h.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 miles from Flower Mound, TX.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on South R L Thornton Freeway for about 89.9 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

town in Ellis County, Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Italy, TX

111 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Glenn Heights, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 49 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Troy, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 110.6 miles from Flower Mound, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~12 min detour

First break 4.8 mi from route ~12 min detour

Dallas, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+19724823055

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 22

5 decision points cluster between mile 7.5 and 221.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7.5 mi into trip | ~13m in

Keep slight right at fork toward TX 114 East: Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Toward TX 114 East: Dallas Fort Worth Internati...

13.3 mi into trip | ~21m in | TX 114 TEXpress / SH 114 TEXpress

Keep slight left at fork onto TX 114 TEXpress / SH 114 TEXpress toward TX 114 Express: SH 114 TEXpress East

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Toward TX 114 Express: SH 114 TEXpress East

217.8 mi into trip | ~3h 55m in | I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street

220.2 mi into trip | ~3h 58m in

Take the exit toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson University

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 234B Toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson Univer...

221.2 mi into trip | ~4h in | East 5th Street

Turn left onto East 5th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$30.30 one way

$60.59 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 77 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$33.84	$67.68
premium	$4.23	$36.79	$73.59
diesel	$4.80	$41.77	$83.53

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$30

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$55–$80

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 77.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	66.4	0	$23.23	$10.62
Efficient EV	55.3	0	$19.36	$8.85
EV Truck/SUV	88.5	1	$30.97	$14.16

Gas CO2

77 kg

EV CO2

26 kg (66% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026

Origin

Flower Mound, TX

Late night in Flower Mound on Monday

Local time

4:43 AM

CDT

Current temp

97°F

Mostly Sunny

SSW 15 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 18 at 3:39PM CDT until July 18 at 6:45PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 18 at 3:33PM CDT until July 18 at 6:30PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX

Destination

Austin, TX

Late night in Austin on Monday

Local time

4:43 AM

CDT

Current temp

94°F

Mostly Sunny

S 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 18 at 3:39PM CDT until July 18 at 6:45PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 18 at 3:33PM CDT until July 18 at 6:30PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX

100°F

Italy, TX

111 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

3 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

4h on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Waco Mammoth National Monument

National Monument

Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago. Today, the fossil specimens represent the nation's first and...

5 mi from route ~13 min detour Free near mile 114.4

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

You'll spend a significant portion of your time on the highway, with 78% of the route utilizing major roadways like I 35. The longest continuous stretch on a main road is 89.9 miles along South R L Thornton Freeway. Expect considerable exit and entrance ramp activity as you navigate through various urban and suburban areas. The transition from highway to potentially more local roads will happen gradually as you approach your destination.

78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 89.9 mi on South R L Thornton Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South R L Thornton Freeway and I 35. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.5 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 221.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 7.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.3 miles (TX 114 TEXpress / SH 114 TEXpress): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 217.8 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

820 ft 445 ft

Total Climb

792 ft

Total Descent

903 ft

Highest Point

820 ft

~205.4 mi in

Elevation Range

375 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Flower Mound, TX to Austin, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Dallas Zoo along the way.

Dallas Zoo

28.2 mi in | ~38m | via I 35E

About the Cities

Starting in Flower Mound, TX

Full guide →

Arriving in Austin, TX

Full guide →

“City of the Violet Crown” · Founded 1835

Austin is a city of about 1,054,000 (2026) surpassing Fort Worth to become the 4th most populous city in Texas. It is on the southeast edge of the Hill Country region of Texas, making it the fourth-largest city in the state and the 11th-largest in the country. It is the capital of Texas and a college town, and also a center of an alternative culture away from the major cities on the US coasts, though the city is rapidly gentrifying with its rising popularity. Austin's attitude is commonly emblazoned about town on T-shirts and bumper stickers that read: "Keep Austin Weird." Austin is also marketed as the Live Music Capital of the World due to the large number of venues.

Top landmarks

• Texas State Capitol — capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Texas
• Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum — presidential library and museum for U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson in Austin,...
• Texas State Cemetery — historic cemetery in Austin, Texas, USA

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h. Total distance: 221.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 89.9 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 25 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Austin, TX before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 25 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Austin, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Trip from Flower Mound, TX to Austin, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-35

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Bell County Northbound Rest Area

Hill County Northbound Rest Area

Flying J Travel Center

Walburg Travel Center & Food Court

Love's Travel Stop

Petro Stopping Centers

Buc-ee's

Service Plaza

QuikTrip

QuikTrip

Ascent Travel Center

Flying J Travel Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Hill County Southbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Road Ranger

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Buc-ee's

TA

Service Plaza

Bell County Southbound Rest Area

Love's Travel Stop

Service Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Austin Bat Tours

Botanical Gates of Paradise

Jake's Hilltop Park

Barton Creek Greenbelt

Village of Salado Visitors Center

City Park

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Flower Mound, TX

Austin, TX

Same local time

3 degrees cooler at arrival

4h on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Waco Mammoth National Monument

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in Flower Mound, TX

Arriving in Austin, TX

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Should I avoid arriving after dark?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Are there national parks near this route?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

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